Combatives, World War II to the MAC Program

Military combatives aren't new, pre-first world war most soldiers were trained in sword, knife and bayonet. As technology adapted weapons to become more effective the basic idea of unarmed combat fell away...

In America pre-first World War boxing and wrestling were competitive programs offered in public schools. They were also offered to soldiers, sailors and marines as competition oriented sports.

Come World War II the American invasion of Japan, though it lasted only four years, brought American service men closer to Asian martial arts. First, in the form of William E. Fairbairn self-created style of Defendu adopted gung-fu, to his early study of boxing, judo and wrestling. Field stripped to create the first combatives program. Later, as American servicemen gained access to martial arts in Japan both Karate and Judo, schools appeared by former service members at or around military installations.

Military combatives has changed drastically between the World War II and the Vietnam War. Because the core composite of the system relies on a combination of gross motor skills and fine motor skills. As always technology has placed a greater burden on the designers of modern combatives programs.

William E. Fairbairn and Eric Stykes designed systems that used gross motor skills to deliever high impact blows to vital areas. Many "experts" suggest that WW2 Combatives is more lethal because it has the highest casualty rating post conflict between it and Modern Army Combatives (MAC).

The reality is World War 2 had saw more conflict then MAC and that again technology plays a role here that needs to be understood. World War 2 combatives also relies on a time when soldiers didn't wear body armor. Which limits accessible vital targets and, well, if body armor stops bullets muchless fists or feet it makes grappling a preferred option.

Additionally, the World War 2 method was not, strictly a striking art since it did use a some locks, chokes and mostly hold escapes but, did not focus on ground fighting (wrestling) as wrestling was a sport taught in public schools, even after boxing was removed between the later 1960s and early 1980s.

We had a saying the Army "Combatives is just like taking a Self-Defense class at the YMCA. They (the US Military & the YMCA) only teaches you enough to get your ass kicked." Primarily soldiers close with and engage the enemy at close range, bayonet charges for example. Bayonets were the foundation of infantry combat since ancient times when medieval infantry fought with spears and shields and when used by lost Empires before that such as the Greeks, Romans, Persians and Babylonians before that. As technology advanced and soldiers could shoot more accurately, more consistently and more continuously the need for close range fighting with bayonets became of less importance, as well as studies into the medicine, psychology and such found that teaching basic techniques and making exaggerated claims based on one's position as an authority figure was paramount in convincing inexperienced young men on their superiority as soldiers to wage wars and fight in combat.

The "deadly techniques" of combatives were meant to be effective but, were propagandized to make them seem "ultra deadly" so that soldiers would not fear closing with and killing an enemy in combat. This has lead to some equally as propagandized marketing for World War II based combatives.

Vietnam lead to the addition of flak vests and fighting at close range in the jungles or urban areas. This placed a larger focus on Judo's goshinjutsu techniques. With additional training taught in on post Dojos for by veterans to service men or service men to service men. Combatives in the Army and Marine Corps from this era became build around a mix of free style Fairbairn's Defendu based World War 2 combatives and mixed with karate and judo techniques. Based off insights from veteran martial artists and soldier working for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services)

The USMC developed its own combatives program after it dropped the Rex Applegate system, this new system called L.I.N.E. or Linear Infighting Neuro-Override Engagement was seen as too defensive in nature and again judo based.

When the USMC established a MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program), they added a level of expertise to the combatives training with ever progressing levels of training and knowledge.

This in turn with conflicts being fought primarily in urban terrain caused the Army to reexamine combatives. The generation one Modern Army Combatives program was started completely fresh and was designed to create a base of instruction or critical self-defense skills useful for the individual soldier in close combat. The war on terror has shifted the focus of the military to fighting smaller guerrilla style cells,  which abuse the laws of war by recruiting, training and operating in urban settings were the full might of a professional military such as air strikes, cruise missiles and artillery cannot be brought to bear as it would endanger noncombatant civilians.

Generation one MAC relied mainly on the program developed by the Gracie family, now known as Gracie combatives.  While the World War 2 Combatives fans claim "their system" is better,  they overlook a key test of war fighting ability, the ability to not get shot. I would suggest anyone can perform a test of whether a martial art is effective for modern combat by sparring someone use the World War 2 methods and have people shooting paint balls across "ring at each other." Now if you get hit in the head or body, its a kill and you die. Oh yeah, you are a target as well for the shooters. See an issue here?

I am not saying MAC 1 is better, because in gaining a dominant position you can do some damage and still be "grappling effective" with gaining the dominant position and striking vital areas. Something I felt was simple and effective. My additions, inspired by limited training in hand-to-hand combatives of the Vietnam era with veterans in my own family, became a pattern for my own hand-to-hand combat system based on research into the history behind the Fairbairn-Stykes system.

Now I don't know if I had an effect on the MAC program but, according to Matt Larson in an article at Special Operations Combatives Program titled simply, What is Modern Army Combatives. Larson states "Local experts at posts throughout the Army have helped this program along immensely. Those who have been acute enough to know where innovation is needed and open minded enough to understand that the Army’s training program, due to its unique needs, must differ from the training regimen at civilian schools, have contributed immensely. Greg Thompson, in particular, has been one of the principle people involved in that capacity." and goes on to say " In order to improve the hand-to-hand fighting ability of every soldier in a unit, it is necessary to systematically develop skills movement patterns and a strong understanding of fight strategy. The basic techniques described in this book are a blueprint for doing just that. This is the method we use in our first two instructor training courses. Beyond the basic techniques, which must be proscriptive by the nature of the challenge of teaching over a million students, the training must become conceptual, more how to train the technique specific. These techniques should be taken as examples of the type of strategies that work and should point you in the right direction. The nature of today’s military conflicts – the equipment we may be wearing, the missions we find ourselves tasked with – are unique to the battlefield and are constantly changing. To meet these demands, effective Combatives training must be an ever- evolving process. "

Meaning theoretically I could have been one if those "local experts at posts throughout the Army" who are too numerous to name. I think fighting someone on the ground makes you less likely to be shot by people around you. In truth I don't know... I know I never met Matt Larsson and never, that I know of, contributed to MAC Generation 2.

However, I do find it interesting that many if the additional methods I was teaching came to adopted by Matt Larson... Great minds do think a like. (Yes, I made a joke...)

One of the funnier aspects here, is that my World War II Combatives Course and Shadow Warrior Edition of Get Tough is now being cloned, copied and dare I say, perhaps even plagiarized by Barron Shepherd. Honestly, I don't care...

And I wish Barron the best of luck with his Combatives Course and his Professional Edge Edition of Get Tough.  However, I feel the need to express that Barron knows very little about the art he is claiming to teach... To be certified to teach World War 2 Combatives one would need certification either through the Military or, through a civilian school that has a lineage to the Fairbairn-Stykes Defendu system.

While Fairbairn & Stykes taught many people anyone claiming to be certified to teach World War 2 Combatives would need a certification through either an instructor in the military, a civilian who used to be an instructor with the proper certification or a instructor under an instructor who has such certification. As far as I know this basically puts us with Damian Ross of the Self Defense Company who draws his lineage form Carl Cestari.

Now what's truly funny is that after I release a Video Course (a historical training video used to Train British Homeguard during World War 2) and the Shadow Warrior Version of Get Tough. Barron began copying me... First posting a blog about his up coming course December 3rd 2016, just six days after I post a blog about the Shadow Warrior Course.

Barron's Course made just 6 days after I announce the Shadow Warrior World War 2 Combatives Course.

 My announcement on the World War 2 combatives course November 28th 2016.

Barron's Version of Get Tough...

Using the imagery of a World War 2 Combatives technique video found on youtube here. Yet, this video was part of a discussion about the historical combatives training video I use for the World War 2 Combatives Course.

Apparently, Barron seems to ne trying to copy my products but fails to see why I have them. I am not a certified World War 2 Combatives Instructor. I am not a certified MAC instructor under Matt Larson either... I am someone who respects the scientific basis behind the modern combatives movement.

Military combatives is by and large the basis for many self-defense systems. The scientific basis is something I have a great deal of respect for, as well being forward thinking. However, combatives alone is not reality based training.

Reality Based Training and Reality Based Self-Defense are the innovations of Jim Wagner. Who make the term famous in 1998 Black Belt Magazine using a term common to Police Swat Teams but, has its roots in the scientific studies of psychology on soldiers in combat conducted by S. L. A. Marshall and published his 1947 book Men Against Fire. Marshall's research was used by Col. Grossman in his 1996 book On Killing.

My interest in combatives is the science behind the methods and tactics, beyond simple tradition. Reality based training is also an area of scientific research and expression. One of the reasons, I was teaching hand-to-hand combatives to my fellow soldiers was because of culture and level unarmed fighting skills which part od the culture of the two Koreas. In both Koreas Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido are part of culture and modern sports in their nations. This means in addition to whatever hand-to-hand combat training a soldier got, ROK soldiers had training drown from TKD, Judo and a Korean form of wrestling similar to Sumo. So I felt soldiers in Korea needed additional training in stand up striking, grappling and infighting.

Martial Arts, Self- Defense systems and Fighting Styles should be able to adapt to the theater of conflict and social settings. Finally, anything claiming to be reality based should include pre-fight and post-fight elements. This means it should have a basis for understanding criminal methods and tactics, sociological and psychological ques as well as a use of force scale or, sometimes called a use of force ladder, and a means of dealing with de-escalation as well as, dealing with police investigation and one's rights under the law.

For example, it is a crime in West Virginia for me to give you legal advice because I have not passed the BAR. However, I can just as easily point you toward published material by the ACLU about your rights when dealing with the police and protecting yourself during an investigation. Of your combatives calls itself "reality based" it is trying to claim that "its" strikes, eye gouges and groin shots are some how different then another art...

In fact, the term reality based self-defense is often used by self-defense instructors to make themselves sound more creditable and effective then "martial arts" that teach self-defense they are "reality based self-defense."

Street Vs the Ring 2: Get Out the Dojo, Dojang & Kwoon to see where your art really works...

While I had posted and discussed how the Street is so much different then the Ring and how it allows for a wider array of options that limited training in a specific form or application of martial arts just can't cover. I decided to do a little piece on guess what? How training in self-defense without competitive application is a possible form of self-harm to developing one's own training.

Traditional Martial Arts, no not the Neo-Traditional Watered Down schools teaching "karate" in a Gi but ignoring classic training methods like exercise, weight lifting/strength training and combat applications, have always placed a heavy focus on philosophy and even in some regard religious aspects of the culture in which said martial art was developed. This was because all conflicts are human conflicts and dealing with people (social self-defense or de-escalation principles as known to us Modern Budoka) was a critical part of dealing conflicts. The highest form skill was not in fighting your opponent but in simply redirecting his intentions away from harming you.

Things that were regarded as "correct actions" such as showing humility were not just to be a "good person" or "good citizen" but a form of social self-defense. Many people want to be known as a "bad ass" or "tough guy" but do so because deep down they are weak and want to have the safety of being intimidating to others. They mistake fear for respect, because the "bad ass" demands your respect. However, if you beat your chest and declare yourself a "tough guy" someone who wants that same reputation will challenge, even if they lose the fight they gain the "respect" of stepping up. The problem is when you get known for being a violent thug, most people will avoid you and sure they will demonstrate some common curtesy or look the other way when you break a social standard. This isn't because of how "threatening" you are it is a matter of seeking to avoid trouble and this means avoiding you, the trouble maker with the reputation as a "bad ass tough guy."
So personality traits like humility, showing respect and acting with compassion were all intended to make one seem very un-bad ass like... This allowed one to 1. Conceal their skills and ability until needed, making it many more times effective and 2. Allowed one to avoid situations and places which would make one's need to fight even more required then normal life. There is also the third point, that these traits don't attract those who makes such situations a social issue. The only people who flock to the be in the crowds around "tough guys" are either a) other tough guys or b) wannabe tough guys. So if you act like a loud mouthed trying to prove how tough you are, you will either attract others wanting to prove how tough you are or you will prove how tough you are in some way.

So keep in mind there are some aspects of martial arts philosophy that aren't Asian mysticism or fanciful ideas or even New Aged Thinking. They are practical methods of social-self-defense meant to prevent a fight, prevent conflict by abiding my social norms and action with respect to other. True respect isn't about how intimidating someone is but treating others as you would have them treat you. Sure there are people who like to cross the line of what is acceptable by social codes (not merely laws).
This also becomes an issue of ideologies and cultures. In my Culture of an American from the South standing up and fighting someone who threatens or challenges you is illegal, called Assault & Battery but it is Social Acceptable as standing up for yourself. Because in my Culture in the South of the United States of America standing up for yourself is a sign of your willingness to stand up for other things like family, your children and even your country. Fighting isn't a right of passage it is a fact of life, we all have to fight for something, even if only ourselves but, fighting should not be entered into lightly. Fighting is about survival and sometimes survival means avoiding a fight. The core idea of martial arts philosophy is avoiding needless fighting, de-escalating situations and avoiding trouble. When trouble cannot be avoid we must respond with a force needed to end the threat. Needless fighting only attracts the reputation and attention of those seeking a reputation for violence.

Our problem, however, is both philosophical and legal... How much force is enough, how much mercy is too much? Legally, you can use excessive force in Self-Defense and then what started as Self-Defense becomes Assault, Battery or Malicious Wounding perhaps even Murder. Philosophically speaking, who are? what are you? and how do you justify harming another human being?

Many times it seems that traditional martial artists are so focused on History or identifying themselves as "warriors" they don't even realize the practical applications of what they are taught. Far too much have traditional systems been watered down to a fun but unrealistic sport or even a form of "day care" or personal development where the practical application of the philosophical and ethic conditions is seen as a way to improve the self and never viewed as a practical survival/self-defense method for social self-defense. In the same way, many Self-Defense experts like Dr. George J. Thompson the Founder of the Verbal Judo Institute (the only tactical communication course in the world) applied the basic principles of judo in redirecting physical force to sociology and psychological principles to de-escalate and control a situation by reducing conflicts. While this is a "tactical course" it is based on the same ideology as traditional martial arts of judo and jujitsu.

Traditional Martial Arts are not just about adopting martial traditions, wearing a gi or learning Japanese, Korean or Chinese terms. They were first and foremost combat techniques for the battlefield, they were adapted with philosophical ideas that are a foundation for the sciences of psychology and sociology. And, it is the lack of this understanding by traditionalists that creates the most fundamental obstacle to Traditional Martial Arts, a lack of "real world" application. That real world application isn't just a matter of fighting styles but of philosophies...

The Goal of the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course

Ninjutsu is not a martial art, in the historical sense...

Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the historical sense...

Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the sense of Japanese language skills...

What is Ninjutsu?

Ninjutsu is the Invisible Art. Things done that are not meant to be seen, so they are hidden "invisible" to all but the puppeteers behind the curtain pulling the strings. Ninjutsu is the clandestine operations of Japanese samurai and those same skills have been morphed into other professions like intelligence operatives, military scouts, police investigators and some even say, adopted by the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) for the purposes of smuggling, blackmail, murder and various other misdeeds.

So what is Black Dragon Ninjitsu?

Black Dragon Ninjitsu is the art pioneered by me based on it's roots in Omoto Ryu Budo, which did contain ninjutsu. Mixed with my own insights and experiences from other martial arts, Black Dragon Ninjitsu is more of a paramilitary and survival art then a martial art in the strictest sense of the word. Unfortunately, as dangerious as the world is becoming and need for such skills by everyday people growing, there isn't much interest in Modern Ninjitsu (I use the "Ninjutsu" & "Ninjitsu" spellings interchangeably) outside the military or the militia. So Black Dragon Ninjitsu is meant to be the first paramilitary competition ninjutsu-style in the world... While that sinks in.

The difference in spelling using the "i" or "u" is irrellivant as the Japanese written script of kanji has no English spelling, as it is a logographic (meaning Kanji are ideographs; meaning that the whole character conveys a meaning rather then just a phonic word, similar to how pictographs have a certain meaning which displayed by the image.) Kanji literally means Chinese Character.

Romanji or literally Roman Characters or Roman Letters in English, does have a spelling but the three main forms of Romanji are Hepburn Romanji which was abolished in 1994 and replaced with Revised Hepburn Romanji, Nihon-shiki Romanji which was created by the Japanese and pre-dates Hepburn Romanji and Kunrei-shiki Romanji which is a revised form of Nihon-shiki Romanji.

The difference in the spelling of "i" or "u" also a common argument among Jujitsu/Jujutsu practicers as among ninjutsu/ninjitsu practicers is the difference of a long or short vow. Because the "i" or "u" of Jutsu is a short vow it many times phonically comes across as soft "u" which to the original Hepburn Romanji system was spelled as "i" and was sometimes spelled with a "u" by more experienced Japanese speakers in the West, with no official spelling since about the 1970s, it was not formally added to revised Hepburn Romanji system until 1994, though informally existed in use since almost 20 years before that.

Romanji Spelling aside, the Kanji is the same...

Why does the world need Competition Ninjutsu & How Would Such a Competition work?

This is real question... First off when I was in the U.S. Army, we had many different forms of competition. Modern Army Combatives competitions focused on Brazilian Jiujutsu, Puggle Stick competitions to simulate bayonet fighting and force on force small teams warfare competitions between fireteams. Larger force on force competitions between Brigades and Companies to test the leadership and strategic planning of officers as well as the fighting skills of enlisted soldiers.

Note: Achievements #2 & #3... ARTEP stands for Army Training and Evaluation Program, a massive force on force "War Game" testing different units against each other at all levels. Also note Monthly competitions in Hand-to-Hand Combat and we didn't compete because it was fun. We competed because I gave an experience to learn from...

It was fun and it taught us so much, so why do we need Competition Ninjutsu? Because it will give us an opportunity to grow, learn and take the study of warfare as more then history lessons and Live Action Role-Playing (LARPing) in Samurai Armor. It would be fun...

How would such a Ninja Competition Work? Simple, lets bring in the ninjas open to all arts & systems not just "Ninjutsu" or Black Dragon Ninjitsu... As an old member of Ashida Kim's forum Big Lew used to say "The proof is in the pudding." Now I don't agree with Lew that competition proves anything, you can't sum up all of an art by how a person does in competition. But, you can learn from experience and build yourself up by testing yourself...  We never disagreed there, competition would provide a chance to learn and adapt your thinking.

Such a competition would be a 3 to 5 day event, everyone would get together camp out, venders could sell things, authors could do book signings and there would be events...

We of course would open up with a martial arts tournament, similar to, if not MMA rules...
From there would a Self-Defense competition, different scenarios to which someone has to react. Some of it using social controls and interactions and other applying techniques and judged on 3 things: simplicity, effectiveness and accordance with lawful use of force. Weapons competitions would include shuriken throwing, knife throwing and archery. Knife-sparring using chalk knives, stick and staff competitions using pugil sticks and sword competitions on both cutting and kendo like fencing competitions. We could use variations of pugil sticks to simulate spear fighting. Add encryption and decryption code breaking competitions, stealth and camouflage competitions, obstacle course races and end it all with a Night time Small Teams Warfare Competition...

Each "Army" would be broken down into two teams. A 5-man defending team armed with paintball guns & kendo sticks, protecting an objective. A 5-man infiltration force armed with blowguns to shoot paintballs, chalk knives for sentry removal and kendo sticks. The "missions" for each army may be different, get inside and set a bomb: colored smoke device (sabotage), steal the enemy plans and get them back to their base wins (espionage) or kill the enemy commander, behead the dumby and bring the head back to the base wins (assassination). Infiltrating teams can engage on the battle field or sneak past. Defenders can to re-organized into infiltrating teams. Any paintball hit to the head or body, counts as a "kill" and team member is removed from the battle.

If no Army, achieves its objective both have last their battles, mutual destruction. First Army to complete its objective wins.

Why do we need this?
Because there is so much to ninjutsu then just Jujutsu (taijutsu) in a Black Gi and this is an opportunity for everyone interested in Ninjutsu, Ninjas, Clandestine and Convert warfare, Military Combatives, Self-Defense and martial arts to get together to learn from each other, to compete with others and learn find out own weakness and find ways to improve upon them.

How does this begin?
It begins with the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course it is the only way I can ensure those involves have the needed skills. You don't need to buy the videos, you can sell the DVDs or trade them purchase isn't a requirement. Once you have your 9th Kyu rank, you can organize a study group of up 4 other people, they don't need to buy their own DVDs, just enroll in the program and submit the weekly testing videos. This gives you someone to train with and practice your techniques against, have a living breathing opponent. As the senior belt you are incourage of getting everyone together and organizing your groups training.

If you reach Shodan, you can rank others up to 1st Kyu/Ikkyu and even teach Black Dragon Ninjitsu as an assistant instructor, requiring all Shodan to come to West Virginia for the 3 Bootcamp and testing. Then compete in the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Ninja Competition against others, other systems and gain some knowledge about yourself that help you to grow as martial artist and a person.

Black Dragon Ninjitsu isn't about doing things my way... Its about finding your own way. By the time you reach shodan you should have the same techniques as me and your own unique style of making them work for you. In a Ninja Competition, the goal is learning about yourself... your strengths and your weaknesses so that you can improve you. So while everyone might be competing they are also learning from one another and becoming better for it.

Because it is not just about Competition, its about cooperation and growth...

Black Dragon Ninjitsu Course Available Today!

The Black Dragon Ninjitsu video course is available for sale as of today... I thought against the April 1st release Date cause well April Fools Day. Thought that time I tricked Phil Elmore into openly committing a felony was fun, its why Phil doesn't bother to push too far in outright lying, as opposed to concealing the truth, unlike the other two butt pirates Barron Shepherd and Don Roley... The April 1st Date was kind of a throw back to that time and that stunt... Phil Elmore is quite aware I can drag him into court over it any time and ruin his floundering business of harassing people online to push Paladin Press and the reality self-defense companies to fat out of shape Man-Boy wannabe tough guy geeklings... That is just the blunt truth of it.

I have certain amount of respect for RBSD crowd were you see effective and common sense courses. I honestly believe that in any martial arts or self-defense course you get out what you put in. You don't have to be a "ninja master" or black belt in martial arts to defend yourself and even if you are, you can't "karate a bullet." Video Courses come in three basic types; Rank by Mail, Distance Learning & Combination Courses...

Type I: Rank by Mail...
This is nothing new to martial arts. Count Dante had so little respect for the real abilities of martial artists compared to the urban legends of their skills he sound a pamphlet which included the Kata Dante and a few other 1 to 3 step drills. The basic idea was provide knowledge and make someone an "instant black belt." Why? Because martial arts in the 60s was a huge joke... Most Karateka in the US in the 1960s studied kata and were "too deadly to spar" so they didn't engage in contact sparring but point fighting were contact could disqualify the fighter... So Count Keehan, sold rank and membership in an attempt to make fun of "average martial artists" of his day. When you look at the idea of Karate in the 1960s; no contact sparring, heavy focus on kata and "tradition" we come to understand the meaning of Count Dante/ John T. Keehan's words in his essay Karate is for Sissies
"It is indeed unfortunate that many of the martial or fighting arts of today have become no more than form practice or ineffective movements. This does not just refer to karate, but also to most of the other sport, fistic, grappling or self-defense arts of the East and West. It is common knowledge of those "in-the-know." even though they rarely admit it, that the present-day karate, judo, gung-fu, boxing, wrestling, aikido, ju-jitsu, etc., as taught today, are not really geared for practical application on the street. The effectiveness of the present-day fighting arts is too cramped because of the many unnatural controls the Orientals exercise over the politics of these arts." -John Keehan 1970

Since then, people have all launched various courses in rank by mail. I had a friend who engaged in a Jujitsu by Mail Course were the student gained rank by buying courses for each rank. When you completed the courses and the written work sheets you were given a certificate for each rank. Sadly my friend couldn't fight his way out of paper bag. Oh he knew history, the Japanese terms and the names of a few hundred techniques in Japanese and English. I tried and quit a VHS Karate Course back in the 90s, 97 I think, which was basically American kick boxing and Shotokan mixed. It focused on knowing Kata and a certain amount of techniques for each belt level. To be honest, there wasn't much difference between the Karate in a Dojo, were we did some work on the heavy bag, learned and practiced kata. Oh yeah, there was a big difference sparring...

Rank by mail courses don't account for the actual training you need to do to develop yourself as a fighter... and it takes more the a "judo chop to the side of the neck" to defend yourself, certainly more then just knowing how to do it. Even grappling arts have done this, the Gracie Combatives and Gracie Jiujitsu video course the most well known. A friend of mine in high school, had a Greko-Roman Wrestling Course but it didn't rank you. Since Greko-Roman wrestling is a sport the end goal was developing knowledge and we'll talk about this in the Type II breakdown. So what does one get with rank? The Prestige of having a rank certificate to wave around... No one gives a damn about your martial arts but you. If you start bragging you know Karate your gonna get challenged and called out to fight by someone. So welcome to the real world, it doesn't matter what style punches you in face. It only matters if you can take or not.

For the many martial arts schools full of "too deadly" to spar arts, you are going to be in a world of hurt outside your comfort zone of the Dojo. For people who attend schools & gyms were you are in a world of hurt inside your comfort zone, well outside your comfort zone is a world full of hurt for you... You are just better prepared to deal with it. If you want rank and bragging rights, you have a world full of people trying to sell you rank by mail... just be careful who you brag to.

Rank is only as good as the person wearing it, a General who can't lead an army worthless... Yes even if he is a General. A Private who can shoot a rifle and follow orders is always gonna have a place, even it is as a hitman for the mob. Meditate on that for a minute, rank is meaningless.

Type II: Distance Learning Courses...
Distance learning courses reward you for your knowledge. They certify you for knowledge gained by you presented by them to you. This isn't limited to martial arts but various online and by mail courses such as art classes, college courses and vocational training. The idea of certification for learning the trade or skills is not a certification on how well they can perform them. Time and experience cannot be learned in a school from a book or DVD course. But you can gain knowledge, how you train (a process of trial and error) is just practice for those skills...

So what are you saying Ron? What about what all those people who learned taking Martial Arts by mail courses, is their knowledge of no value? 

What I am saying it to keep all things in context... Yes and no, to the second question. Yes...  if you have no ability to fight (i.e. Defend Yourself) when you are basically hold a certificate that means you wave it around to feel good about yourself or maybe justify opening a school, like the many other dojos and dojangs were people do the same. If you make an effective business out of these types of martial arts, most effective for teaching children in a form of "karate themed daycare" (no one calls it this but, that is what it is) then... No, the knowledge has value.

My friends VHS collection of Greko-Roman Wrestling Techniques provided knowledge which served him to both wrestle in high school and to fight other kids. However, the wrestling practice in high school served him more then just the knowledge alone and we all used to wrestle each other in the back yard. The knowledge it provided gave us a chance to practice and build on it, many technques were added to our skill sets for Wrestling in High School. Which ranked us solely on our ability.

Type III: Combinations...
There are of course good distance learning courses that provide rank as well, as a combination of both Rank by Mail and ...

The Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course is intended to be a combination course. One that provides ranks to you and that provides knowledge. The whole of the first DVD is based on the idea of ranking you solely for the introduction knowledge it provides.

The 10th Kyu Promo deals with the basics of physical exercises, meditation, kamae (stances), ukemi (falling and rolling), basic punching mechanics and requires both this knowledge and a physical fittness test of 25 Push-ups, 25 Sit-ups, 3 Pull-Ups and Running in Place for 2 Minutes. This is required to gain the rank of 10th Kyu... Yes, I require you to earn even the rank most schools give you for just showing up and paying for lessons. Traditionally, this was a common practice in Karate and Judo (especially judo) where a person started of at the rank of Mukyu which basically means "No belt."

Here the 10th Kyu video in the course is built on the basic ideas of first Video for 10th Kyu. The idea of blocking and striking in one fluid action, the rope drill used to practice this automatic response. The two different stances tachi kamae and fudo kamae to practice slipping or dodging a strike, the application of double blocks to get in close and gain the clinch, the concept of moving within an opponent's guard and using both movement, positioning and the wrist escape. All these things are hinted at but even attempted to be explained in the promo video as they are in the course. Why..?

Because the basic focus of the course is based on the evolution of one's fighting skills... We begin at Striking Range where distance, ukemi and the need to develop and understanding of distancing, speed, power and core techniques matter most... Here one earns the rank Jukyu or 10th Kyu and becomes a "white belt." Then one learns basic striking techniques, the basic concept of blocking and counter-striking (counter punching) in one motion fired out from the hip rotation of the core of the body, the concept of double blocking a 1-2 punch combination so that you can use a double ear slap or double knife hand strike to the side of the neck to gain head control in clinch. All of which sets you up for learning infighting techniques like elbow strikes at clinch range. This all builds up for you to learn to position yourself inside an opponent's striking range. So that you are acquainted with the concept of moving from striking range to infighting range as well as, the basic strikes such as punching and kick. Allowing you to become a "Yellow Belt" at 9th Kyu. At 8th Kyu you are only learning basic open hand strikes, for which striking techniques like Koshi Tsuki, Kata Tsuki and Tai-Tsuki are only a delivery system for the open hand strikes, the basic 55 Target points of the Body. The basic idea of escaping a wrist grab, combined with movement and positioning yourself behind an opponent has nothing to do with How to Choke someone out. It is all about how to use movement and positioning to benefit yourself... All this is a foundation, for gaining knowledge and developing a means to put that knowledge into practice. It becomes more complex and difficult as you progress...

By 7th Kyu, you would be in a position to start sparring and would need someone to train with to learn the basic grappling techniques, throws and (yes) choke holds. At this point, simple sparring would be the focus and so I offer anyone the opportunity to enroll others with them (no Course purchase required) and establish training groups (limit 4 persons, including whoever bought the course) all they have to do is pay the Monthly $25 Membership Fee, submit the weekly "testing videos" and $50 Rank Processing Fee when promoted. So friends can enroll in the same course, chip in money to buy the DVDs and even sell their DVDs to others who can use them gain knowledge and rank. Of course, a sub-forum of the Shadow Warrior Publishing has been set up for those in the course to discuss and work with other distance learning course students... and myself.

Life is a Battle...

Over the last few days I'm been getting some interesting private messages through Facebook and even a few emails. The interesting thing is that people want to know why I'm hated so much, by so many people... The truth is because I'm doing what they won't or can't. Make no mistake, everything I've done I have done because of God's grace. I am not a perfect Christian, I don't even think I'm a good Christian at times. But everything I have done I either owe to my own efforts or to God's grace. If that sounds like a humility, it is... I am humble before few men and always to God.

If funny when you see cowards talk about suing them, knowing they can delay and lie and drag out the suit and even if the court rules against them, they will not honor obligations put worth by the court. Which means another law suit... wasting money and time on people who are hundreds of miles away and scared of me. Personally, I'd just rather drive to their schools (I like road trips) and beat their asses into bloody pulp before their students' eyes. Life is a battle filled with cowards and crooks, people who are generally tough guys.

The simple fact is I've endured things many others won't or can't, and it is by God's Grace more then my own Mental Strength that I did this... I grew up around violence, drugs and fighting. I'm related to and have associated with "criminals." My grandfather make Moonshine during the prohibition to feed and cloth his family. So I don't much care about the "thug selling dope" as I do about the robbers, rapists and thieves. The honest problem with "drug dealers" is drug dealers who sell to kids and drug dealers who are themselves kids (mentally & literally which includes mentally). These are the "drug dealers" who are likely to shoot you and stab because they are afraid and don't respect life, this produces an problem but it is a totally different matter to be discussed.

I favor self-defense training, I have a great deal of experience at things I can't talk about online (and won't) because it involves self-incrimination. That is why I often point to other directs (lie about) where I learned somethings at or experienced some stuff. Its funny because I approach the martial arts from the side of what is effective. I once witnessed a U.S. soldier tell a KATUSA he could "whip his ass" because he "knew Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (through MACP) and Tae Kwon Do sucked." That same KATUSA kicked him in the thigh, groin and head without dropping or putting down his beer and was out the bar before the MPs entered. I've watched Anthony Cummins talk about martial arts being effective and its clear he's never been in a fight in his life... Hell I once got into a pissing contest with another soldier who was a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do compared to my Shodan in Shotokan. I've found many martial arts share similar techniques but are effectively useless when it comes to methods for training these methods...

It is literally amusing to me that any style that was used by "warriors" (in all the varied names) would be allow 10th and 15th Dan grandmasters who can't do more then 30 push-ups at a time. So I have to state a certain amount of respect for styles like Judo and Kick Boxing that encourage competition to teach timing, distance, accuracy and balance compared to styles that rely on nothing but forms and kata (Jujitsu definition as opposed to Katate).

At the end of the day, what you train in should reflect your idea of a threat. Criminals live in a culture where violence is a social norm and social violence (simulated combat) can easily turn into real combat. So the idea that your opponent will be "untrained" is a joke. The reality is even if you find a "self-trained" fighter they will have more experience with criminal activities (i.e. beating up people and other members of that culture) then the many "Martial Artists" who hide behind lineage or another's accomplishments.

If you've paid any attention to the news, you'd know we are closer to a Civil War 2.0 and would know that we face a threat bigger then ever as we face threats from Terrorists and the government. Ultimately you need to decide what works for you and what teaches you to defend yourself effectively. Timing on a painful but not lethal compared to lethal techniques alone. A person who decides to use a "lethal technique" compared to someone with the ability to deliver a lethal technique with no conscious thought to distance and timing is simply this... Both are handicapped by the lack of ability to use the "lethal technique" due to not having applied it in combat or competition but both both are then reliant on the distance and timing of training. The person with more experience at application of strikes and the use of grappling in "non-lethal" application develop the other qualities to deliver those "lethal strikes."

Consider that how we are trained (even raised if you will since that is a form of training) sets the pace for how you will react. If you aren't trained to react to conditions outside your training how will you react at all? Life is a battlefield  and how you train is how you will face life...

Martial Arts & Children...

A lot of people don't agree with the fact that I was awarded a black belt as a child, at times I'm not sure I do either... then I look at the fights I got into as a kid and realize I don't agree with it. I was almost expelled in the 2nd Grade because I nearly killed a kid with a Rear Naked Choke I refused to let go of. Teaching potentially dangerous techniques to a child is, well... dangerous. Not only because a child could easily hurt another child without an in depth moral understanding of the ramifications of the result but there is a legal responsibility as well. Which takes precedence over any colored strip of cloth and what it means to someone else.

Now I am not against teaching children nor am I saying martial arts for children is a bad thing. In my case, the other boy was bigger then me and had the teachers been more concerned with telling me to let go rather then freaking out and trying to force me to break the hold, I'd have let go. You see my teachers didn't do a good job in maintaining discipline and, discipline is a corner stone for teaching children. Martial arts for children teaches confidence and self-discipline. Self-Discipline has another term Personal Responsibility, being responsible for yourself and your choices. My teachers were many times racist, clannish, and played to their favorites.

Most often the Doctors and Lawyers kids who could freely bully other kids and be excused for doing so while those who defended themselves were often labeled trouble makers. Of course some teachers were known to grab and pull kid's hair, grab & pull their ears and yell at and belittle those same kids. Years after I left that school my younger cousin who attended that same school told me the same teachers where still acting like bullies and tyrants. They didn't inspire trust and didn't maintain discipline, in fact when the teachers let the bullies be bullies, many kids (myself especially) used more force to defend ourselves then required. When parents became involved and the school was looking at being sued, discipline broke down due to the school board becoming involved. Because the draconian tactics used unnecessarily to maintain order, could no longer be used. Perhaps this is a microcosm for our national debate on police brutality, police militarization, race and civil rights... or perhaps that is just over reading into the situation.

Understanding this environment is critical to why I thought choking someone out and actually tightening the hold on the Hadaka-Shime (Rear Naked Choke in Judo and Jujitsu) when my teacher tried to break the hold, I was afraid that once I let go the bully the would be permitted to attack me. So I tightened my hold on a person who was unconscious, I could have killed someone. Many times parents use martial arts or public school as a surrogate for teaching self-discipline. The fact is that martial arts can teach discipline in the Dojo but, parents need to teach discipline at home. Disciplining a child is the foundation to the child learning to discipline themselves, to take personal responsibility for their actions. For a child to study martial arts, and learn discipline for a few hours a week in the Dojo, they are more likely to only learn to fight and to discipline themselves or to learn only "selective discipline."

In fact, my suspension for fighting and having to face the school board for the unbroken RNC resulted with me showing several letters of complaints from other students' parents. This is what caused the school board to become involved, because I wasn't alone in my complaints about the school's staff. However, that doesn't excuse the fact someone could have been seriously hurt or killed. I took responsibility for not breaking the hold & this highlights how teaching dangerous techniques to children can be a danger in itself.

Many martial arts styles are intended to be taught to children, daycare in a gi. Others have a more combative feel, are designed for self-defense and not appropriate for children. Some martial arts are designed for sports only were as others are a mix of all those elements. Some traditional arts try to teach "warriorship" which can be a very dangerous idea for a developing child, it is certainly a dangerous idea for some adults (I'll have to do a whole new blog on "Warriorship" to address this issue). Some schools exist to teach "cultural understanding" which serve to force Eastern Religion and Philosophy onto it's students. Selecting a martial arts school for children is very important and very difficult unless the parent has a good understanding of what the school teaches, why and how.

I consider boxing a martial art and several martial artists I've met and trained with over the years also boxed, this is true of those mainly dedicated striking arts like Karate & Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido. Basic principles and techniques for a cross are the same as for reverse punch, a jab as for a straight punch and the foot work is pretty much the same. Sure all three use open hand strikes and self-defense techniques like kicking, throws and joint-locks that boxing doesn't. Boxing teaches combinations, distance, timing and "slipping the punch" that those arts don't and it transitions well into self-defense and sparring. Boxing has a clear focus as a competition sport, which is excellent for fitness and exercise as well... I recommend boxing as a starter art for younger children. Many, early Self-Defense systems were a blending a Boxing and Judo.

What I suggest is Child Appropriate:
When I say child appropriate I am stating between the ages of 5 and 12 years old...

1. Make sure the school does not teach a philosophy or religious ideas that is counter-productive to beliefs and philosophy you are trying to build in your child or children. I dropped out of an Aikido school after only 2 weeks (free lessons) because the instructor kept trying to force his ideology on me, this was considerably more then just studying Eastern Philosophy or cultural traditions. Discipline begins at home so, don't cause a breakdown in the discipline you're teaching your child by paying someone to teach them opposing philosophies to your own. They get enough of that in public schools already. Be weary of schools talking about anything "spiritual" as part of the training.
2. The amount of physical contact with your child is also important, I know some people who won't enroll their kids in Brazilian Jiujutsu because the guard looks like the missionary position. Both you and your child have to be comfortable with the physical contact used in the class, this includes your child's acceptance of being hit during sparring. I can't tell you what is acceptable for you and your child but this is something you need to observe and discuss with your child. As for the Brazilian Jiujutsu matter, if your child isn't thinking of sexual positions then there shouldn't be an issue and, if they are there is already an issue.
3. Manner & attitude of the instructor. The last thing you want to do is leave your child in the hands someone who is "Toxic." I'm not talking about frauds, criminals and sex offenders but people who bully, insult and are generally a negative influence. Criminals have a record and sex offenders are on a registry but a "toxic personality" is like a bad relationship with a crazy person, everything starts off all good and goes bad from their as the crazy becomes more obvious.
4. Set a goal for your child that is to be achieved through the martial arts. I'm not talking about reaching a belt rank but a goal of learning... This is why I think competition arts like Boxing, Kickboxing, Wrestling, Judo, Karate & Brazilian Jiujutsu are great for younger kids. Set goals like physical exercise/fitness, improved competition and building confidence.

Martial Arts for Teenagers:
When I say teenagers I mean 13 to 17 years old...

1. Here is where a child will start gradually moving out into the world and things like self-defense starts becoming more useful in a child's life. Self-defense systems like World War II era Combatives & Krav Maga, become more appropriate.
2. More so, some of those same martial arts styles like Karate, Hapkido, Jujutsu, Brazilian Jiujutsu, Judo can be treated more combatively depending on the age, physical ability and maturity of the child in question.

Tips of Parents before Enrolling Children in Martial Arts:

1. Talk to the instructor...
2. Observe at Least Five to Ten Classes, to see how & what the instructor teaches...
3. Talk to the students and other parents, particularly away from the school. Remember these are customers at a business, they may feel required to speak well of the instructor or school in front of the instructor. So your best bet for getting accurate information is away from the school... 
4. Do your research but don't believe everything you hear. Martial arts is a business and it is largely unregulated. Many people in the business of selling martial arts training take to slandering others.
5. Follow up with the instructor, address things you found out & made a judgment call on how he or she responds to your questions.
6. Avoid "Hidden Marketing." It is perfectly acceptable to pay a monthly fee, testing fee & buy your uniform. It is "ok" to pay an organizational fee (provided being a member of the organization is an option, usually this is restricted to Black Belts & Instructors) but having to pay this added fee as a low ranking kyu grade is questionable. It is a "No-No" to add requiring a student to buy "Grandmaster So-&-So's" books and require "book reports" for cultural training at each grade. It is even "OK" to have to buy a student handbook, but this is often free with the beginning when you pay for your uniform, etc. Having to buy additional books and materials is a questionable practice. 
7. Remember you are buying what someone else is selling. Don't be surprised or feel insulted if an instructor doesn't want to "sell." I don't teach children, I refuse and I do so for a number of reasons the main one being that what I teach isn't often "age appropriate." Black Dragon Ninjitsu has been defined by an observer as a "Killing Style" and Street Focus Jujitsu is as named Focused on Street-Based Self-Defense. Either style can greatly enhance a person's odds of survival in a self-defense situation or they can be misused to make a very dangerous person. I often turn down teaching adults.

Who am I?

This is going to be an interesting & extremely honest blog beginning with a simple question of "Who am I?" I will answer that question simply, I am me. I don't go running around saying I am master, guru, shogun, jonin, soke or what have you. Even the infamous "Sensei Ron Collins" label was used by my previous publisher Dojo Press (aka Ashida Kim) who felt just calling myself "Ron Collins" was a bit to low key. I've even told people I am a "White-Trash-Red-Neck-Trailer-Park-Hillbilly" (and I will start marking other on the US census and filling that in the blanks lol). Apparently, I didn't know this but Ashida Kim did, there are several Ron Collins in the World...

Ron Collins the who writes fantasy books... Ron Collins who is football coach (calls himself Coach Collins)... Ron Collins who is a boxer (24 & 5 record, born in 1963 from Texas)... There is a Ron Collins in aviation... and lastly there is even a Drink called a Ron Collins (2 oz. light rum, lime juice, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, soda water/carbonated water & an optional cherry as a garnish) very similar to his cousin Tom Collins.

So here we are back to "Who am I?" I often have so much trouble defining myself because I "wear so many different hats" and play so many different roles in my life. I am a very emotionally unattached person and without that emotional attachment I am more analytical, I am more Spock then Kirk in another words. Without that emotional string to pull me into believing or acting on feelings, I deal with rationalizing, analyzing and hard logic. More so, the emotions are there but tightly controlled, in those moments I do "lose control" I tend to seem a bit extreme. More so, I make cold and calculated decisions... it is vitally important you understand this, I do nothing without a purpose & many times to achieve multiple purposes with a single action. The "good or bad" of that purpose is debatable but, regardless there is a purpose.

Its vital you understand that I am an analytical person because, I look at things without emotional attachment or with less emotion then others. Many times, especially online people who's opinions are colored by their beliefs, desires and what they choose to believe say am I "acting like a grandmaster and treating them like a bunch of white belts" because I analyze and develop my opinion based on the information presented... Now I don't sugar coat things, I am very direct in my statements.

More so, I find the internet culture of online experts and exponents amusing, especially the emotional attachment of some people to an idea or their idea. You see ideas often illicit emotional responses and if you don't control those emotional responses, you are controlled by those emotional responses. This is the basis of Ashida Kim's "ninja mind control" & psychological manipulation in general. There is a reason for the phrase "Looking through rose colored glasses." Emotions alter the way our perception of the world works and cold hard unemotional (this is ultimately impossible but you can reduce the degree of how much your emotions effect you with unattached logic). Very simply, if you are near sighted and wear corrective glasses, you can now see things at a greater distance in more detail. If you are wearing sun glasses, things appear grayer. Sun glasses with a pink, violet, blue or whatever colored hue will effect how things appear to you. The florescent lights of a store (a very light blue in nature) actually alters the appearance of the colors of clothing, a service industry trick to make things look more appealing. Those same cloths will look different in Sun Light.

Your emotions and what you already believe, have that effect on your perceptions of new information as well... Quite simply, I don't believe anyone has a legitimate claim to a Ninjutsu tradition to date. I believe that everyone in the Ninjutsu world either "made up" or learned from someone who made up their traditions. To someone who holds the belief they are learning from a "legitimate Soke" or "Master" I am wrong. If I start stating cold hard facts, I have an "agenda" or "I am attacking someone" because someone doesn't want to believe as I do, they make it a point to "attack" the sources of these facts or me to discredit those who oppose their beliefs. For no other reason then they are defending what they want to believe. And I find some small amusement in aggravating these people, yes I have troll-ish tendencies...

Without any emotional attachment or desire to agree, disagree or be accepted into the group I watched this video;

Now in the online community (Ninja Quest) myself and others, didn't like what we saw, those who claimed we didn't understand what we were seeing didn't explain it to us. They simply declared we had an agenda or already our minds up. Despite asking them with their claimed insider knowledge to explain what e were seeing. So I took it upon myself to analyze the video and here is what I felt was wrong...

Grabbing the hand right off the get, before it clears the holster is smart I even compliment Hatsumi at the point... Previous in the video he explains he is grabbing the hand and establishing a wristlock. And Hatsumi is controlling the thumb to keep from being shot/allowing the opponent to perform a trigger squeeze.

So he has a wrist-lock, the Uke still is holding the gun. So here the gun is pointed down but the Ukes arm is to the outside, away from his body.

 

The arm is further pulled out and the same elements are still in effect...

Now there is a serious debate on this between me and the pro-Hatsumi crowd, because it seems pretty obvious to me in the video that gun moves parallel (horizontal) to the ground (across Hatsumi's groin/stomach area) and not vertically.

More so, It appears the gun goes back across the groin/stomach area. and from the angle in the still above shows Hatsumi.

Here Hatsumi demonstrates the small-joint manipulation of the Uke's gun hand.

Hatsumi and the thumb still explaining... or if you agree with me still excusing.

And now Hatsumi attempts controlling the gun... I question why he didn't do this sooner.

Here Hatsumi continues the lesson that without a thumb someone can't pull a trigger. Which I disagree with, a smaller pistol (commonly used by criminals because they can easily be concealed) could be gripped with the remaining three fingers and possibly allow the trigger to be squeezed.
I fundamentally don't care what Hatsumi teaches and I don't think my disagreement with him will stop anyone from joining the Bujinkan or learning from him or anyone else in the Bujinkan. In fact, I give myself so little credit in this regard that I've both intentionally and unintentionally ruined my own creditability with others to various degrees. Mostly this has been done for "making fun" of online experts who are committed to "discussing" how great their style and masters are while bashing others.

In fact, if you look at the martial arts world with a bit of honest skepticism you'll find even the "creditable martial artists" are full of lies and exaggerations. In fact, creditable is an empty label because it depends on creditable to who? To those devoted to a particular style, questioning the style is the equivalent of questioning God. Many times, instructors invent answers when questioned on things they don't know. More so, many martial arts instructors make things up on the fly to fill gaps in their training. This is not a bad thing by any means, after all if you find yourself in a self-defense situation and encounter something you aren't accustomed to you have to make it up as you go along.

I once asked Omoto Sensei how to counter a technique he showed me, and his tierce reply was only "How would you counter it?" I was not what you would call friends with Kiyoshi Omoto he looked at our relationship as a duty... it was his job to teach and my job to learn, we were not friends. More so, Omoto Ryu under Kiyoshi Omoto was a job and under Sensei Martin it was not. I was friends with Reginald Martin which is why I learned this style, I even dated his daughter. Under Sensei Martin Omoto Ryu used a simple ranking system that did not have belts, where as Koshi Omoto used belts because Omoto Ryu Jujitsu & Budo was a commercial school... these ranks were simple Deshi (student), Sempai/Sensei (Senior Student/Teacher) and Shihan (Master). A student learns what he is taught, a senior student understands what he is taught and teaches it to those learning and a master understands what he isn't taught and acts without thinking. Omoto Ryu has no Soke in the traditional sense... One becomes a Shihan, as the Shihan who taught him or her no longer teaches them. You may train together but you are no longer "learning" you are "experiencing" this is somewhat like some parents who kick their kids out the house after a certain age. They haven't disowned the child and are there to help and offer advice but the child must face the world as an "adult." This is true of anyone who has to use their art in  real world, whether you are an "operator" on the battlefield or a telephone operator being mugged in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Now isn't that a long winded and pointless way to say "Sometimes in life you have to make it up as you go along?" Sadly, the fantasy of being a martial artist makes it seem like "Master" has to or should have all the answers be filled with stories and anecdotes speaking in riddles instead simple, direct and straight forward. Once you understand this, you have to deal with two facts. 1) Sometimes people make up shit and 2) sometimes others don't have an answer for your questions. Guess what that means, deal with it & go figure it out yourself... I've had to figure things out so much, I don't ask I just observe and analyze, form my opinion and go on. Sometimes I change my opinion and, most times I don't. Do I care what you believe? No... like your sexuality or religion those are things for you to deal with unless your region tells you to kill me or you want to practice your sexuality with me I don't care. Nor should you care what my opinion is, people who seem to care that I don't agree with them or think I "bash their art" forget I don't regard my own opinion very highly. People will believe what they want because they want  believe it... Who am I?

Civilian Counter Terrorism

In light of both the Baltimore Riots & the media creating a narrative of race and class warfare. In light of the Garland, Texas attack & the media (certain parts of the mainstream media anyway) who are using it to attack the 2nd Amendment, I've decided to make this blog.

Four years ago, looking at both history and future I developed a Civilian Counter-Terrorism doctrine. This doctrine is based on Level 1 Counter Terrorism training I received from the US Army & my own initiative. Before you get all "yay US Army Counter Terrorism" let me put this into prospective, it was done via an internet course taken over a computer in the office. I was 11B US Army Infantry in an Air Assault unit (1/503 Air Assault out of Camp Casey Korea) which is now an Air Borne Unit out of Italy. I got out the US Army in 2005. Here is a brief history of 1/503: http://corregidor.org/heritage_battalion/iraa.html. All this is background information to the fact I already had Infantry training which included room clearing and urban warfare similar to what SWAT teams get. What the Level 1 Counter Terrorism Course gave me was a factual reference to spotting terrorist threats in a civilian environment.

So for civilians I don't consider the tactical combat stuff valid, after all you have cops and military personnel with the right training and experiences. It is their job (bluntly put) to kill and to die, so you don't have to. A civilians best bet for fighting terrorism is simple; Be Aware to Threats, Avoid the Threat before it Becomes a Danger & Report the Threat providing as much detail as possible. So four years ago I made these videos...

Everyone loves the Tactical Moniker & guns are cool, sexy and tough guys carry them... In truth, the people who carry guns have to able to use them. I fully support Concealed Carry, Constitutional Carry & Open Carry they are manifestations of our God given right to self-defense. But, like in Garland, Texas, the "bad guys" sometimes show up with bigger guns and wearing body armor, and you might be out gunned. So use common sense, use the system.

Martial Arts Outside the Dojo

Anyone who has ever sparred or fought using traditional jujitsu, judo or aikido knows that many times in the heat of the moment a sudden or wild punch can stop a throw or joint lock application dead. There us a huge gap between sparring and the real world where anything goes but there is an even bigger gap between application in the dojo and application in the fight. Once you start sparring techniques often become less "pretty" and more direct. We can look at MMA and see how the technical skills of jujitsu or even BJJ look more like wrestling in the heat of the moment.

Here a wrist lock is applied in response to a throat grab...

 

In the Dojo, I could force a non-resisting opponent to the ground but in the real world outside the dojo and practice drills...

I am forced duck a wild swing or take it on the chin, now my duck also doubles as an ineffective head butt and the arm is still leveraged to off balance and throw the attacker. 

 

Rather then wrestle over the joint lock, and falling into a series of counters on each other. I abandon the joint-lock and move directly into striking techniques.



 

 Driving a elbow into the solar plexus & xyphoid process region of the body to before breaking contact.

Granted all this was choreographed for a photo shoot (we are professional actors or posers or whatever), it was all about highlighting the "flow" of a real fight. Sparring doesn't solve every problem to learning martial arts & being prepared for self-defense, some techniques are too hazardous to use like eye gouges, ear slaps, throat strikes and groin strikes/grabs. The fact is boxing is a great a beginning point because it allows one to develop timing, ability and accuracy of strikes. The same jab that delivers a fist to the nose can also deliver a spear hand to opponent's eye or upper cut to the chin can also deliver a palm heel to an opponent's chin.

This is why boxing was something I was encouraged to study from Danny (who boxed and trained in Karate, Judo & Jujitsu under the late Master Tracy Cook) & as an outlaw biker he had more experience then most of the karateka who out ranked him in martial arts. Boxing was also encouraged by Master Cook. But, it comes with a understanding that while competition and sports might help develop basic abilities like foot work, timing, speed, precision & endurance those elements go out the window in a rapidly changing and often hostile environment. The black top we shot the pictures on is unforgiving and would scrape and cut us if the fight went to the ground.

Martial arts that spar or compete often have students who are better suited to survive a self-defense situation due to those basic abilities like foot work, timing, speed, precision & endurance. Where as the self-defense combatives & "too deadly to spar" group might survive a self-defense situation due to the use of techniques that are meant to result in serious injury, self-defense tactics or (in the case of reality based self-defense) a development of instinctual responses based on simulated self-defense training. Some martial arts schools are social clubs for yuppies and little kids, which are completely useless outside the Dojo except for the social connections and teaching social skills which has nothing to do with a self-defense situation.

Today most people concerned with self-defense seek to abandon the value of competition styles for the self-defense arts seeking to short the traditional arts. Traditional arts (whether they have a competition element or not) often seek the build the same basic abilities as the competition arts but do so over a period teaching different elements of self-defense gradually. Many people often seek to train in different martial arts to get the various elements from these different types of martial arts.

I have often said I am a street fighter first and foremost, anything goes and anything that will get the job done is something I look at and adapt to. Like many self-defense instructors I am oppose to the US Army's focuses on competition arts and the removal of the more potentially lethal techniques. However, I also understand the changing landscape of warfare, think all that ground fighting is a bad idea try sparring  with people shooting paintball guns at targets while you fight it out. Ah yeah... easier not to get shot on the ground, doesn't make ground fighting better for the reasons I highlighted above. Ultimately, I chose to modify my way thinking to break down and embrace the core factors behind each of these generalizations thus creating the Street Focus Jujitsu system to do just that.